Toy aeroplane



A ril 12, 1932. L, M RX 1,853,567

TOY AEROPLANE Filed Dec. 25; 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN\ IENOR T Lo u I 5Ma r1 ATTORNEYS April 12, 1932. MARX 1,853,567

TOY AEROPLANE Filed Dec. 23, 1926 s ShGGtS' 2 INVENTOR Lou i 5 M a rx BYATTORNEYS April 12, 1932.

TOY AEROPLANE L. MARX Fit. 7.

Filed Dec. 23 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Louls Marx ATTORNEYSPatented Apr. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES LOUIS MARX, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YOIRKTOY AEROPLANE .Application filed December 23, 1926. Serial No. 156,554.

This invention relates to toy vehicles generally, and more particularlyto toy aircraft. It is the object of the present invention to provide atoy vehicle which will perform 5 various stunts in the course of itstravel."

The present invention relates to the type of toy aircraft in which a toyin the form. of an aeroplane is made to rise from the ground by the aidof a motor and air propeller means 10 and then to swing in a circularpath, thus simulating the flight of aircraft, and then to descend to theground. Toys of this general type known hitherto were attached to an armwhich was provided witha counterbalance at,

points downward, and flies downward for a short while, but before itreaches the ground it straightens out into a horizontal position andreascends to its normal height and con tinues its flight. Another stuntwhich the toy aeroplane is made to perform by the-pres ent device is toloop the loop in which case it is rotated through 360 on its transverseaxis while in flight, and then resumes its normal course. a

The invention will be more clearly understood from the followingspecification and the drawings which constitute a part of thisapplication.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the invention illustrating the devicesin the starting position.

Figure 2 shows the same devices illustrated in Figure 1 in flight, andshows the stunt performing aircraft in a vertical position.

Figure 3 is a detail showing on the line 5 33 of Figure 1.

plane is caused to be rotated through an ail-,1 gle perhapsapproximating 90, so that it Figure 4 shows the same detail in operativeposition.

Figure 5 shows another form of the invention, the toy aircraftbeingillustrated in the starting position,

Figure 6showsthe same form as that il-, lustrated in Figure 5, inoperation, and illustrates in dotted linesthe performing toy aircraft inits inverted position. I

Figure 7 is a detail showingdevices for rotating the performing toyaircraft in inoperative position. i

Figure 8 shows the same devices in their operative position.

Figure 9 is a sectional View of Figure taken on the line 9.9. Q

In the embodiment of theinvention shown in Figures 1 to 4, 10illustrates a base,-preferably in the formof a tower, which is so con vstructed that the beam 11 maybe pivotally and .removably mountedthereon. The base 10 is provided with a cup-shaped gear device 12 havingan aperture'l3 in its base .and mounted on the tower by means of thesuport 14. The beamll consists of two arms 15 and 16 which arepivotallyattached to each other by means of the horizontal pin 17, the pin 17also serving to pivotally attach to the arms the vertical pin 18 whichcarries a collar 19 serving as a stop and limiting the downward movementof the pin 18 and the beam. It willibe .se'en,. therefore, that the beam11 which comprises the arms 15 and 16, may be readily removed. from thetower and may .be replaced thereon by positioning the pin 18 in theaperture 13, the'collar 19 serving asa bearingsurface and cooperatingwith the base of thecup l2 to permit the rotationof the beam.

Each'ofthe arms 15 and 16 are troughshaped in cross section with theopen face of the trough pointed downward. The oivoted end of the arm 16is bent slightly upward as will be seen at 20, the sides of thetrough'of the bent portion 20 being provided with notches 21 whichpermit the arm 16 to move from the position shown in Figures 1 and 3 tothat shown in Figures 2 and 4, without touching the gear, 12. Thepivoted end of the arm 16 beyond the bent portion 20, comprises theforked elements 21 and 22 which I carry the pivot pin 17, and straddlesthe correspondingly forked end of the arm 15 and the pin 18. The freeend of the arm 16 is provided with a hook 23 which is adapted tocooperate with an eye 24011 the toy aircraft 25 in order to suspend thesame. 7

The pivoted end of thearm 15 is also forked to straddle the pin 18, andis provided with lugs 26 which overlie the upper edges of the forkedportions 21 and 22 of the arm 16. The portion of the trough of the arm15 that lies between the forked portions of the pivoted end of the arm,.is bent clownwardly to form an apertured bearing plate 27 whichrotatably supports the rod 28, the other end of the rod being attachedto the .toy aircraft 29. The trough-shaped arm 15 serves to supporttherod 28 in the bearing plate 27 as well as to attach the arm 15 to thepivot pin 18 and to the arm 16 in such a manner as to permit of theplanetary movement of the toy aircraft 29 around the tower 10 and alsoto permit of the rotational move- .ment of the rod 28 on its ownlongitudinal axis and with it the rotation of the toy aircraft 29 on itstransverse axis. The troughshaped arm 15 also is extendedto theproximity of the toy aircraft 29 so as to cover the rod 29 and give theentire device a better appearance. V

The rod 28 is provided with a gear 30 cooperating withthe gear 12 forrotating the rod 28 on its longitudinal axis and the toy aircraft 29 onits transverse axis.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4, thetoyaeroplane 25 is sl ghtly heavier than the toy aeroplane 29, with theresult that in the starting position the aeroplane 25 will rest on theground whereas the aeroplane 29wi1l behiorh over the ground in theposition shown in Figures 1 and 3, with the result that the gears 12 and30 are out of engagement with each other. It is obvious, however. thatif desired. the two aeroplanes 25 and 29 may be substantially the samein weight and the desired effect may be obtained by lengthening. the arm16 as compared with the arm 15.

In the embodiment'of the invention shown in Figures'l to 4, the toyaeroplane 25 is provided with a spring-motorwhich may be wound by theaid of the key 31 so as to rotate the propeller 32 whereas-the aeroplane29 is not provided with a spring motor although it is provided with anair propeller in order to simulate the appearance of an aeroplane. Inthis embodiment, therefore,the two aeroplanes may be identicalinconstruction, the difference in weight being obtained by the weightofthe spring motor on the aeroplane 25. I do not, however, wish to belimited to this manner of construction but it is obvious As'theaeroplane 29 is lowered to the positionshown in Figures 2 and 4c, thegear 30 will engage with the gear 12 and cause the rotation of theaeroplane 29 on its transverse axis, and thereby cause the same toperform stunts such as a nose dive or the loop the loop,

as defined hereinabove. In the course of the operation of the device,therefore, it frequently happens that after the gears 30 and 12 havecome into engagement and the toyaeroplane 29 has started its rotation onits transverse axis, that as a result thereof the movement of theaeroplanes are slowed down slightly which inturn causes the aeroplane 25to be lowered appreciably and'the aeroplane 29 to be raised sufficientlyso that the gear 30 gets into a position out of engagement with the gear12 and the rotation of the aeroplane 29is therefore stopped prematurely.This manner of operation of the 4 device causes an erratic variation inthe stunts performed by the aeroplane 29 with the result that at timesthe aeroplane 29 will perform a loop the loop which is caused by acomplete rotation of the aeroplane 29 on its transverse axis asillustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2, Whereas at other times it willperform a nose ,dive which is caused by an incomplete rotation of theaeroplane 29, which is illustrated by the dotted line position 29 of theaeroplane 29, and at still other times it will merely appear to descendand reascend in the course of its flight. It will be seen, therefore,thatby the above described construction, an

aeroplane is caused to perform various stunts 33 is provided with aspring motor 34 which 1' may be wound by the aid of a key 35 and isprovided with devices which cause the rotation of the aeroplane330111115 transverse axis in a manner similar to that in the firstembodiment; in the present case, however, the engagement is caused whenthe aeroplane 33 is raised and disengagement is caused by the loweringof said aeroplane.

In this form of the invention the arms 15 and 16 of the beam, aremounted upon the tower 10 by the aid of the pin 18 in substan tially thesame manner as that shown in the previous embodiment. The arm 16' isprovided with a hook 23 to cooperate with an eye 24 to sustain acooperating counter-balw ance which in the present case is illustratedin the form of an airship. Y The aeroplane 33 is made slightly heavierthanv the counter-balance 25' with the result that in the ner ofattaching the aeroplane 33 to the arm 15' is varied from that shown inthe first embodiment of the invention. The aeroplane 33 is provided witha bracket 39 which is attached to the aeroplane at its foot 40 and isprovided with an apertured extension 41 and is also provided with anapertured stop plate 42 at an intermediate point thereof. The bent rod43 passes through the apertures in the plates 41 and 42 and carries atits forward end the gear 38. The rod 43also carries a transverse stop 44and a spring 45 which is disposed between the plate 41 and the plate 46which is fixedly mounted on the rod 43. The bent portion of the rod 43is frictionally held in the arm 15 of the beam. With this constructionthe aeroplane 33 is transversely slidable from the position shown inFigures 5, 7 and 9 in which it will be seen the plate 42 abuts againstthe rear face of the gear 38 with the result that the gears 37 and 38are out of engagement, to the position shown in Figures 6 and 8 in whichthe spring 45 has been somewhat compressed, the plate 42 abuts the stoppin 44 and the gears 38 and 37 are in engagement torotate the aeroplane33 on its transverse axis.

In order to facilitate the winding of the spring motor and to hold thepropeller against rotation during such winding, and also to hold thegears 37 and 38 out of engagement during such rotation, I provide alongitudinally slidable strip 47 which is mounted on the side of theaeroplane body by the aid of a longitudinal slot in the strip 47 and bya rivet 48. Thestrip 47 is provided with a projection 49 which isdesigned to cooperate with a projection 50 on the propeller shaft 51. Inthe position shown in Figure 9, the projections 49 and 50 are out ofengagement with each other. When desired, the strip 47 is moved downwardby the aid of the manual lug 55 to a position where 49 and 50 will besuperimposed, with the result that any rotation of the spring motorshaft will not cause any rotation of the propeller shaft, therebypermitting the storage of energy in the spring motor. The strip 47 isprovided with the forked ends 53 which, in the position shown in Figure9, permit the free relative movement of the aeroplane and the rod 43and'also permit thergear 38 to pass without engaging the. fork 53. When,however,.the strip 47 is moved downward into the position'where 49 and50 are superimposed, the fork 52, 53 also straddles the rod 43. When,therefore, it is desired to wind the spring motor 34, the aeroplane ismoved to the position shown in. Figure 9, the strip 47 is moved downwardto the position where 49 and 50 cooperate to prevent the rotation of theaeroplane shaft 51 and in this position the fork 52, 53 will. straddle.the rod 43 on'the free end thereof, namely at the point 54, and therebyprevent the accidental displacement of the aeroplane with relation to.

the rod 43, and thereby prevent any accidental engagement of thegears 37and 38 and permitting the free rotation of the gear 37.

In the operation of this embodiment of the invention, the aeroplane 33is normally in its resting position. The strip 47 is moved to its stopposition and the motor is wound, thereby storing energy in the spring34. The strip 47 is then moved back to the position shown in Figure 9and the motor will be'r leased and the air propeller will rotate- Therotation of the propeller will cause the aeroplane 33 to ascend and torevolve about a base or tower 10. hen the aeroplane 33 is in a positionapproximately as shown in Figure 6, the weight of the aeroplane 33operating against the spring 45, will cause the aeroplane to slide tothe position shown in Figure 8 and thereby'cause the engagement of thegear 38 with the gear 37 which in turn will cause the rotation of theaeroplane 33 on its transverse axis. This operation causes the stuntsdescribed in the discussion of the embodiment shown on Sheet 1 of thedrawings, name-1y the performing erratically of nose dives, loop theloops, and such'other stunts by the toy aeroplane. In the present casethe erraticperformance isfurther assured by the fact that the engagementbetween the gears 37 and 38 is intermittent on account of the fact thatthe gear 37 is mutilated. Theperformance of the aeroplane 33 isillustrated in Figure 6, as well as by the dotted line position33 of theaeroplane 33 showing it in its inverted position. g

The manner of makingand usingmy in: vention and the many advantagesthereof will in the main be fully apparent from thev above detailed.description thereof. It willbe further apparent that while I have shownand described my invention is the preferred form, that many changes andmodifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departingfromthe spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1; A miniature or toy aircraft, actuating means causing the same tosimulate flight by moving the same over an aerial course withinpredetermined limits, supporting means for sald aircraft including atransverse spindle and means causing said aircraft to roe Y tate aboutthe transverse spindle in the course of itsflight in order to simulate aloop the loop stunt. i

2. In a self-propelled miniature or toy aircraft, a support, a toyaircraft tiltably mounted on said support, means causing said aircraftto revolve about said support and simulate flight, means to tilt saidaircraft, and means to make said tilting means automatically operativein order to vary the course of the aircraft erratically in 3. A toyaircraft comprising a support, a beam rotatable on said support, a toyaircraft rotatably mounted on said beam by means of a transversespindle, motor means for rotating said beam and aircraft to simulateaircraft flight, and means comprising gear connections between thesupport and aircraft for rotating said aircraft on said transversespindle in the course of its flight.

4. A self-propelled toy aircraft comprising a support, a beam rotatableon said support, a toy aircraft rotatably mounted on one end of saidbeam by ineans of a transvere spindle, motor and air propeller means onsaid aircraft for rotating said beam and aircraft to simulate aircraftflight, and means comprising disengageable gear connections between thesupport and'aircraft for rotating said aircraft on said transversespindle in the course of its flight whenever said gear connections areengaged.

5. A toy aircraft comprising a support, a beam rotatable on saidsupport, a toy aircraft rotatably mounted on said beam by means of atransverse spindle, -motor means for rotating said beam and aircraft tosimulate aircraft flight, and means comprising a gear on said aircraftand another gear meshing therewith and co operatively related to saidsupport for rotating said aircraft on said transverse spindle in thecourseof its flight.

6. A self-propelled toy aircraft comprising a support, a toy aircraftrotatable about a transverse axis and revolvable about said support,motor means for revolving said aircraft about said support in order tosimulate aircraft flight, and means'comprising a gear on said aircraftand another gear meshing therewith and cooperatively related to saidsupport for rotating said aircraft on to said transverse axis in'thecourse of its flight.

7. A toy aircraft comprising a support, a beam rotatable on saidsupport, a toy aircraft tiltably mounted onone end of said beam, motormeans for rotating said beam and aircraft to simulate aircraft flight,means to tilt said aircraft, and means responsive to the verticalmovements of the aircraft 'for making the tiltin means operative inorder to tilt said aircraft about a transverse axis. 8..A self-propelledtoy aircraft comprising a support, a beam rotatable on said support, atoy aircraft mounted on a transverse spindle at one end of said beam,motor. and

air propeller means on said aircraft for rotating said beam and aircraftto simulate aircraft flight, means to rotate saidaircraft about thetransverse spindle, and means responsive to the vertical movements ofthe aircraft for making the rotating means operative in order to rotatesaid aircraft on its transverse spindle. 1

9. A toy aircraft comprising a support, a beam rotatable on saidsupport, a toy aircraft mounted on a transverse spindle at one end ofsaid beam, motor means for rotating said beam and aircraft to simulateaircraft flight, and means operable by a drop of the aircraft relativeto a prior altitude to rotate same on its tranverse spindle. a

10. A self-propelled toy aircraft comprising a support, a beam rotatableon said support, a toy aircraft mounted on a transverse spindle at oneend of said beam, motor and air propeller means on said aircraft forrotating saidbeam and aircraft to simulate aircraft flight, means torotate the aircraft about the spindle, and me'ans operableby a drop ofthe aircraft relative to a prior'altitppile for making said rotatingmeans opera e.

11. A toy aircraft comprising a support, a beam'rotatable on saidsupport, a toy aircraft mounted on a transverse spindle at one end ofsaid beam, motor and air propeller means for rotating said beam andaircraft to simulate aircraft flight, and means operable'by a rise ofthe aircraft to rotate the same on its transverse spindle.

12. A self-propelled toy aircraft comprising a support, a beam rotatableon said support, a toy aircraft mounted on a transverse spindle at oneend of-said beam, a counterbalance on the other end, motor and airpropeller means on said aircraft for rotating said beam and aircraft tosimulate aircraft flight, means to rotate the aircraft about thespindle, and means operable by a rise of the aircraft for making saidrotating means operative in order to rotate the aircraft on itstransverse axis.

18. A toy aircraft comprising a base, a beam having two pivoted armsrotatably mounted on said base, a toy aircraft on each free end of saidbeam, one of said aircraft being mounted for rotation about a transverseaxis, motor and air propeller means mounted on one of said aircraft torevolve said beam and aircraft to simulate flight, and means operable bya change in the level of flight of said aircraft torotate the rotatablymounted one of said aircraft on its transverse axis.

. 1- {A toy aircraft comprising a base,

beam having two pivoted arms rotatably mounted on said base, a toyaircraft on each free end of said beam, one of said aircraft beingmounted for rotation about a transverse axis, motor and air propellermeans mounted on one of said aircraft to revolve said beam and aircraftto simulate flight, means to rotate the rotatable aircraft about itstransverse axis, and means operable by a rise of one of the aircraft formaking the ro-' tating means operative in order to rotate the rotatableaircraft on .its transverse axis.

15. A toy aircraft comprising a base, a beam having two pivoted armsrotatably mounted on said base, a toy aircraft on each free end of saidbeam, one of said aircraft being mounted for rotation about a transverseaxis, motor and air propeller means mounted on one of said aircraft torevolve said beam and aircraft to simulate flight, means to rotate therotatable aircraft about its transverse axis, and means operable by adrop of one of said aircraft relative to a prior altitude for making therotating means operative in order to rotate the rotatable aircraft onits transverse axis.

16. A toy aircraft comprising a base, a beam having two pivoted armsrotatably mounted on said base, a toy aircraft on each free end of saidbeam, motor and air propeller means mounted on one of said aircraft torevolve said beam and aircraft to simulate flight, a gear associatedwith said base, a second gear engageable with said first mentioned gearon a drop in the level flight of one of said aircraft, and meansconnecting said second gear with said last mentioned aircraft wherebysaid last mentioned aircraft is rotated on a transverse axis when saidgears are in engagement.

17. A toy aircraft comprising a base, a beam rotatably mounted on saidbase, a counterbalance on one end of said beam and a toy aircraft on theother, motor and air propeller means for revolving said beam andaircraft to simulate aircraft flight, and gears on said aircraft andbeam engageable with each other on a change in the level of flight torotate said aircraft in the course of'its flight.

18. A toy aircraft comprising a base, a beam rotatably mounted on saidbase, a toy aircraft on said beam, motor means for revolving said beamand aircraft to simulate aircraft flight, and gears on said aircraft andbeam engageable with each other on a change in the level of flight torotate said aircraft on one of its axes in the course of its flight.

19. A toy aircraft comprising a base, a beam rotatably mounted on said;base, and a toy aircraft on said beam, motor and air propeller means forrevolving said beam and aircraft to simulate aircraft flight, and gearson' said aircraft and beam engageable with each other on a change in thelevel of flight to rotate said aircraft on its transverse axis in thecourse of its flight.

20. A toy aircraft comprising a base, a

aircraft flight, a mutilated gear on said aircraft, and a gear on saidbeam engageable with themutilated gear on a change in the level offlight to rotate the aircraft.

21. A toy aircraft comprising a base, a beam rotatably mounted on saidbase, a toy aircraft on said beam slidably mounted thereon, spring motorand air propeller means for revolving the beam and aircraft and meansfor rotating the aircraft on one of its axes, said means being normallyinoperative and adapted to be made operative by the sliding movement ofthe aircraft.

22. A toy aircraft comprising a base, a beam rotatably mounted on saidbase, a counterbalan'ce' on one end of said beam, a toy aircraft on theother end slidably mounted thereon, a gear on said aircraft, anothergear on said beam normally out of engagementwith said first gear, andmanually operable means for holding said propeller against rotation andsaid gears out of engagement when said 7 motor is being wound.

23. A self-propelled miniature or toy aircraft comprising an uprightsupport, abeam rotatably supported on said support, a spindle projectingfrom one end of the beam, a toy aircraft mounted on said spindle withthe pintle extending transversely thereof, a motor and propeller on saidaircraft whereby said aircraft is caused to revolve about the support insimulation of the flight of an'aircraft, and means causing said aircraftto repeatedly tilt or/ and completely rotate on said transverse spindleso as to continuously perform aerial stunts in the course of its flight.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and'State of NewYork, this 20th day of December, A. D. 1926.

LOUIS MARX.

